National Thunder Duo Issued Four-Match Suspension for Referee Abuse at Africa Cup of Nations.
Carlos Akapo will miss his nation's final group fixture at Afcon 2025.
The National Thunder captain Carlos Akapo and fellow squad member Josete Miranda have both been banned for four games for verbally attacking the referee after their narrow loss by their opponents at the 2025 Afcon.
The ruling was made by a governing body committee after it examined the official's match report from the Group E clash on Sunday, a loss that sealed the side's elimination from the competition.
The referee stated that the two footballers "repeatedly uttered abusive and offensive comments" towards him and his assistants after the final whistle.
"These remarks were delivered in a atmosphere of extreme anger stemming from the loss, but nonetheless constitute a serious violation of the standards of respect and conduct as well as the governing rules," noted the official.
Two matches of the respective suspensions for Akapo and Miranda have been deferred for a period of one year.
Immediate Consequences
The duo will be unavailable for their team's last tournament fixture against Algeria on Wednesday.
In a related development, the country's governing body has been fined a sum of ten thousand dollars after its coaching team and squad members engaged in "persistent and abusive protests" against decisions by the refereeing team.
The official documentation indicated there was "a progressive deterioration in behaviour on the touchline" after an own goal by defender Saul Coco in the second half.
Additional Governing Body Action
Elsewhere, the continental body have also fined Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore the sum of $10,000 for "inflammatory remarks" uttered in a post-match interview after his team's 1-0 loss to their Group E rivals.
